New York Rangers trade target: Defenseman Jaccob Slavin

The New York Rangers defense was an abomination to the sport of hockey last season. The team will need to go outside of the organization for any meaningful improvement.

As an organization, the Rangers have not been on such shaky footing as they are right now since 2005. Back then everything was up in the air, the lineup was filled with aging veterans and a backup goalie from Sweden in his first season in North America. Somehow, that all worked out in the form of a Stanley Cup Final appearance and three trips to the conference finals.

Now, the only thing that is still provides solace is that goalie from Sweden. However, in front of Henrik Lundqvist, is a different story. The Rangers currently have about eight centers, three good defenseman and a lot of question marks. The team needs to secure at least one top four defenseman and a top six forward for a successful offseason.

It is unrealistic for the Rangers to expect their number nine overall pick to immediately step in and play. As good as some of the prospects that may be available at pick nine are, they need seasoning. Asking an 18 or 19 year old to adapt to the NHL grind straight out of junior hockey or the NCAA is a lot to ask.

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The Rangers have considerable assets in both the draft and on the roster to swing a trade. The Carolina Hurricanes currently feature a abundance of talented defenseman on their roster. The underutilized Jaccob Slavin would be a great fit for the Rangers.

Slavin’s shot suppression

At face value, Slavin’s conventional stats are not exactly mind blowing. On an above average Hurricanes team, he posted 30 points and eight goals while averaging 22:35 of ice time per game. Slavin’s most common defensive partner this past season was Brett Pesce. As a pair, the two were a strong possession unit and helped drive play for their forwards.

The pair’s Corsi For Percentage was 55.29, meaning that when the pair was on the ice, the Hurricanes created 55.29% of the shots. An average NHL player is supposed to have a CF% of 50, so the pair was above average and borderline elite. In comparison, the Rangers best defensive pair at the end of last season, Brady Skjei and Neal Pionk had a 46.17 CF%.

This season, the Rangers need to be more conscious of shot creation. The first step in addressing this issue is acquiring a defenseman that excels at transition. In today’s league, it is imperative that a team get from defense to offense as quickly as possible. For far too long, the Rangers have had defenseman that struggle to create space for outlet passes.

The cost

Now, trading within the division can be a tricky process that can require a premium price. This is not necessarily true in every case, but it can discourage inter division trade. Now, in terms of needs, the Rangers and Hurricanes are a perfect match for each other. Carolina needs forward depth and the Rangers need defensive depth. There is definitely a formula for a good trade that benefits both teams.

This past season, the Hurricanes were expected to make a move at the deadline for a forward. Instead, the team stood pat and narrowly missed the playoffs. Now, with the second overall pick in the fold as well, Carolina is poised to return to the postseason for the first time since winning the Stanley Cup in 2006. Figuring out the cost is a matter of inquiring as to exactly what Carolina wants.

The Hurricanes obviously need forwards, it is just a matter of what the organization wants. Carolina has three centers on their roster, a position which the Rangers have a surplus. The package starting point would be Vladislav Namestnikov who can jump in right away. On top of Namestnikov, the Rangers would need to add a sweetener to push this deal through. Being that Carolina is a competitive team right now, draft picks would likely not be of interest. Parting with Mats Zuccarello as well could put this deal through. For arguments sake let’s say Carolina throws a third round pick back at the Rangers.

Namestnikov and Zuccarello for Slavin and a third is a trade the Rangers could live with.

The fit

Slavin would immediately slide into the Rangers top four and could probably play top pair minutes if needed. A Slavin and Shattenkirk first pair would serve two purposes. Aside from being the best combination the Rangers had, it would also allow Skjei to play on the second pair. It was apparent last season that the team asked Skjei to do too much last season.

A top four of Slavin, Shattenkirk, Sjkei and Brendan Smith would be a balanced group. Providing that Smith returns to some semblance of the player he used to be, this group would be in the upper half of the entire league. The Rangers need a quality defenseman sooner rather than later. Yes, Yegor Rykov, Libor Hajek and Ryan Lindgren are in the pipeline. However, all three are likely at least one more year away from playing in the NHL.

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The Rangers can make a mutually beneficial trade with the Hurricanes for any one of their talented defenseman. In the current market, any and every player is up for grabs in a trade. The Rangers may have an under the radar choice in Slavin.